Many are feeling the effects of that huge Chiron, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars configuration. As I send this email, the Moon is shortly to be on Taurus 10 - The Red Cross Nurse.

New Destinies on the Horizon?
Margaret-Mary asked me to comment on the upcoming Taurus Moon passing over Taurus 10: The Red Cross Nurse (see previous blog entry - http://sabiansymbols.typepad.com/). This was a wonderful request as I'd been looking for time to write up a piece about the Solstice being coincident with the Moon's Node moving back onto Aries 0.

Looking through the lens of draconic astrology, which uses a nodal chart set at Aries 0, we get a vision of our purpose in life - the life that was said to be the souls contract. (with thanks to Rev. Pamela Crane of England - the leading pioneer of this system of astrology.) When we cast a chart in draconic, we move the entire chart's points - planets and angles (ascendant, etc) backwards so that the north node comes back to 00Aries00. For example, say one's north node is Capricorn 26 - which corresponds to degree number 296 - one would move every point in the chart backwards by 296 degrees so that the node is aligned with 0 Aries.

The resulting chart will show one's life through a different but very familiar lens and it answers many questions. We still have the same planetary aspects, along with the planets in the same houses, but the signs and degrees are quite different, along with a new ascendant, etc.

In terms of this week's pass of the north node over Aries 0 - we could say that we all have a big window of opportunity for connecting to our soul's purpose as the more mystical draconic zodiac aligns exactly with our familiar tropical zodiac.

The fact that it happens smack on the Solstice is a wonderful co-incident. If we treat the coming days as an opportunity for aligning with our visions, we can reset and renew and move on from the tight planetary configurations we've been labouring under.

Along with the nodes of the Moon being on Aries 1 and Libra 1 - we have the Sun moving into Cancer onto Cancer 1. On its own, the square from the Sun to the nodes is always a significant time and, often, a time that feels fated. Add to that the node being on Aries 1; and we have a double-whammy operating this week.

Aries 1 (being 0 Aries in a chart) has the Sabian Symbol of A Woman Has Risen Out of the Ocean, a Seal is Embracing Her. This speaks of often marvellous new beginnings, gaining (or regaining) one's voice as an individual and finding one's feet. The way can be rocky, but very rewarding. This Symbol shows that the past that doesn’t serve one must be left behind.

The Moon’s south node is a point of departure, as our task is to move away from the south node, towards the north node. It shows something we’ve bought through from a past life perhaps, habits, conditioning, favourite things, things we hold onto.

With the transiting south node currently on Libra 1 - A Butterfly Preserved and Made Perfect With a Dart Through It – we can find ourselves ‘struck’ not knowing how to move forward with constraints around relationships (whether one’s currently in one or not), doing ‘the right thing’, doing what’s expected of us. We can stay stuck in fear of losing love, or not having enough of it, being afraid to move on somewhat like a butterfly stuck with a pin and framed on the wall. There can be feelings of self-sacrifice and loss. Beauty and love want to be preserved, but moving forward (as seen through the north node) involves taking risks and stepping forward into a new realm of possibility.

Many things change with a change of attitude and letting one’s self and others ‘off the hook’ can free many things up in order to grow. We’ve learnt many lessons from our relationships and interactions with others and now it’s time to walk one’s talk – the ‘mermaid’ of Aries 1 is gaining her voice and self mobilisation.

It's interesting to note that the passage of the Moon's nodes moves backwards through the zodiac. In essence, therefore, the Moon's nodes teach us the zodiac backwards. After Aries, the north node moves backwards into Pisces. This backwards movement brings a sense of things being karmic, lessons to be learnt in a kind of ‘reverse’ order. We reassess, re-address and relearn things through the movements of the nodes.

The Sabian Symbol for the this week’s Solstice point is Cancer 1: On a Ship Sailors Lower an Old Flag and Raise a New One. This marks a turning point; a realisation that one has to move on, shift allegiances, make changes of all kinds, stick to one’s convictions and affirmations and let go of the past. Realisations of all kinds come with this degree.

The degree of Mercury at the Solstice brings us responsibilities, along with power. The Sabian Symbol is Cancer 25: A Leader of Men Wrapped in an Invisible Cloak of Power. With this degree, we are challenged to take control of our lives and not let others (or ourselves) lord it over us. We must also be mindful of the powerful effects we can have on others, sometimes without knowing we're doing it.

We can perform an alchemy with this degree - we can surround ourselves with the invisible cloak, moving through the world lightly, but with strength. Like the sailors with the flag, power of conviction is a theme for this Symbol. There can be a powerful descent of energies taking over one’s being.

A strong sense of renewal comes through the agency of Venus at Taurus 28: A Woman in Middle Life Stands in Rapt Sudden Realisation of Forgotten Charms, in Unexpected Recovery of Romance. This is a wonderful degree of the renewal of love, passion, life - it's second chances, and rediscovering one's self along with others. Regardless of one's sex, there's hope and joy, or at least certainly reminders of the dream not having disappeared

As Margaret-Mary pointed out in her comment, the Taurus Moon moves onto Taurus 10: A Red Cross Nurse soon. This brings us a chance of healing, recouping, a tender moment, kind words. Of course, the tender moments could be few and far between as the 'nurse' scurries around getting things done, perhaps forgetting the human heart component of the one being cared for.

It feels like we're all rather busy, rushing around with getting on with our lives.

On a political note, as Mercury moves over Cancer 27 in the next few days and conjuncts GW Bush's Saturn, I think something's got to happen. The Sabian Symbol for Mercury - and GWB's Saturn - is A Furious Storm in a Canyon Filled With Valuable Homes. I hope that if there is a furious storm that it brings clarity in its wake.